Ignite the Soul Chapter 04 (Early Preview) (Patreon)

Updated 8/30/25

Chapter 04: When in Seoul

Danny held up his hands. "I'm good, really. I don't need anything."

"As far as you think," Rumi echoed Mira's earlier argument.

"I appreciate it, but…" Danny looked down at his own clothes. “What I brought is fine.”

“There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself now and then, Danny,” Jazz countered, already pulling a dark green Henley off a rack. “We’re on vacation in Seoul. Live a little.”

Danny sighed. “I suppose… Still, it seems a bit pricey.”

Rumi rolled her eyes and pulled out a credit card. “Trust me, Danny, what you might spend on clothing during this trip will pale in comparison to our wardrobe budget for the year.”

“I… I couldn’t.” Danny didn’t want to take advantage of them.

“But, gifts…” Zoey felt the familiar surge of determination that usually preceded getting her way. 

Danny could feel it coming. “No. Wait. Zoey, stop.”

She stepped closer and did what worked since grade school. "Please?" She spoke softly, letting her lower lip protrude slightly. "Just a few outfits?"

Danny's resistance crumbled visibly. "That's not fair. You know I can't say no when you do that."

"I know." Zoey smiled triumphantly.

Jazz snorted with laughter. "She got you with the sad eyes, didn't she? That trick still works?"

"Apparently," Danny said, resigned but amused. "Fine."

The girls exchanged looks of pure delight. "I’m gonna enjoy this."

In hindsight, Danny might have made a terrible mistake. They dragged him through four different stores, building an outfit piece by piece. Danny tried to object to the expensive-looking outfits, but the sad eyes repeatedly silenced him.

"Try this." Zoey handed him a black button-down shirt.

"And these." Rumi held dark-wash jeans.

"With this jacket." Mira held up a charcoal blazer.

Danny exited the dressing room looking as if he was getting a photoshoot of his own. Frankl;y it wasn’t off bnecause Zoey and Jazz were taking pictures and begged him to pose in certain ways.

"Oh," Jazz said, blinking in surprise. "Oh wow."

"Right?" Rumi said smugly.

Zoey felt her mouth go slightly dry. Seeing him in well-fitted clothes that flattered his coloring and build was worth it. "You clean up nice.”.

"It's the clothes," Danny tugged at the jacket. "The clothes are doing all the work."

Mira circled him. "Nah, nut they're just enhancing what's already there."

"We should get him some casual stuff too," Rumi suggested. "Some good jeans, maybe a few nice t-shirts..."

"Guys," Danny protested weakly.

"And definitely some Korean streetwear," Zoey added, warming to the theme. "You'd look great in oversized hoodies."

In truth, the girls seemed to take this as an opportunity to play dress-up with him.  

Mira was holding up a pair of jeans, sneakers, and an undershirt. “Okay, Fenton. Changing room. Now.” She shoved them into his arms.

Zoey added a soft, charcoal-colored overshirt to the pile. “The fabric is nice. It should be comfortable.”

Reluctantly, Danny disappeared into a dressing room. He emerged a few minutes later wearing the Henley and his own jeans.

“See? Improvement,” Jazz said with a satisfied nod. “It fits you properly across the shoulders.”

Danny walked in front of Huntrix, who also voiced their approval. “I guess I’m getting this one.”

“Next,” Mira commanded.

He went back in and came out wearing the distressed black jeans and the Henley. He tugged at the waistband. “Do I look pretentious?”

“Nah. Don’t think that way. You look good,” Mira looked him up and down with an appreciative grin. “You definitely have the frame for it.”

Danny coughed into a fist at the compliment. “Thanks.”

Zoey’s eyes lingered on the way the jeans fit. A faint warmth crept up her neck. She cleared her throat too. “Seconded.”

“Put the other shirt on over it,” Jazz instructed, taking on the role of director.

Danny retreated once more, returning with the charcoal overshirt unbuttoned over the Henley. He stood in front of the three-way mirror, turning slightly. The combination of the dark, tailored layers made him look professional. He looked more like someone who belonged on the stylish city streets outside. “Huh. Okay, this one… this one’s not bad.”

“Not bad?” Mira scoffed playfully. “Fenton, you look good.”

Jazz had her phone out for a photo. “We’re getting it.”

Zoey offered a small smile. “The colors suit you.”

After a few more outfits, Danny started to head back to the changing room, but paused. “But I’m paying for the last one.”

The last thing Danny emerged from the dressing room with was, surprisingly, a designer Hawaiian shirt. The pattern was a stylish floral design of white hibiscus against a deep navy blue background.

“Huh,” he said, looking at himself in the three-way mirror. “Didn’t know Hawaiian shirts were in style here.”

He walked back over to the girls. “I like the floral design, but I think I might have gotten one size too small.” He tried to roll his shoulders back to test the fit. The fabric pulled taut across his collarbones, leaving most buttons undone and showing his chest. Still, he liked the color and design.

Danny could feel the short sleeves wrapping snugly around his biceps. Curious about the range of motion, he lifted his arms above his head. The movement caused the hem of the shirt to ride up, exposing his abdominals.

“Yeah, this is definitely tight.” He attempted one final rotation of his arms, a full circular motion to see if it was tolerable. The movement put a sudden, visible strain on the fabric across his chest. The button just below the top one gave way under the tension. The shirt fell open completely.

Danny looked down at the shirt. He spotted the small plastic button still on the shirt, glad he hadn’t broken anything. He looked back up at the others, a slightly sheepish look on his face as he held the two sides of the shirt. “Okay, so…” He trailed off when he saw their expressions.

Jazz had her face planted firmly in her palm. Rumi’s usual stoicism was broken by a clear look of amusement, a small smile playing on her lips. Zoey and Mira, however, were just staring at him.

Zoey’s cheeks were flushed a bright pink, and a slightly dopey smile was on her face. Mira, in contrast, looked far more composed, but she took in the sight of his torso with unabashed appreciation.

“Is it bad? Should I put it back?” Danny asked, genuinely confused by their silent staring.

“Again, so hot,” Mira muttered, just loud enough for Zoey to hear.

Jazz finally looked up from her hands, her expression one of utter exasperation. “Danny, just ask an employee if they have a larger one in the back so we can get going.”

“Alright,” he said, turning to look for a staff member.

#

Soon, Danny was the owner of enough new clothes to fill an extra suitcase, despite his increasingly feeble protests. The girls had ignored every argument about cost and practicality, united in their mission to upgrade his wardrobe.

"I feel like I got ambushed," Danny said as they finally headed toward the car, everyone carrying multiple shopping bags for him and Jazz.

"You did," Jazz confirmed cheerfully. "But you look great."

"Definitely." Zoey bumped his shoulder with hers.

Danny looked down at the bags, then at the three girls. "Thanks. I mean it. This was... really nice of you guys."

"Don't get all sentimental on us now," Mira teased with a warm smile.

"We still have the rest of the month," Rumi added.

Gyeongbok Palace

The group walked across the stone courtyard as they approached the main entrance.

Danny stopped walking entirely when the massive wooden gates came into view. It was just as grand as a few of the domains in the Ghost Zone.

"Holy shit," he breathed, then immediately looked apologetic. "Sorry, but wow."

"Right?" Zoey grinned at his reaction. "Wait until you see the rest of it."

Jazz was already pulling out her camera. “It’s gorgeous. It looks like it’s from straight out of a movie."

“It kind of is,” Rumi said. “A lot of dramas are shot here. But the real history is older than most countries.”

Danny traced the edge of one tower with his eyes. “It’s wild seeing something so old right in the middle of the city. Amity didn’t have this sort of thing. Maybe there was an old church or something, but that’s about it.”

Zoey nodded. “Cultural sites are very important.”

"Built in the 1300s." Mira slipped into tour guide mode. "Destroyed and rebuilt several times, but they've kept it authentic to the original. The other one is Changdeokgung Palace which became the main one from the 16 to 18 hundreds." Despite what her parents might say about her career interest, she did not slack off in school. 

They joined the line for tickets. Rumi had visited the palace at least a dozen times growing up. Traditional tourist attractions never seemed to lose their appeal for her since she grew up in the ancient hunter’s training grounds in the countryside.

They passed a group of tourists gathered for some sort of ceremony. Guards in traditional clothes stood under the banners.

Danny turned as they passed the group. “What are they wearing? They kinda remind me of something from a period show.”

“Those are Hanboks,” Rumi replied. “Traditional Korean formal wear. Different designs for different occasions like weddings, holidays, and historical reenactments.”

Danny tilted his head. “Are tourists allowed to wear those? Or would that be, like, offensive?”

“Not at all,” Zoey said. “It’s actually encouraged. Several places rent them out to tourists. It’s popular with couples, friends, and even full tour groups. Some palaces even give free entry if you’re wearing one.”

Danny turned to his sister with a smile. “Okay, we are definitely doing that later. We can send a photo to Mom and Dad.”

Jazz’s eyes lit up. “We would look amazing in them. We have to do a full photo album.”

“Matching styles or mix-and-match?” Danny was already getting into it.

Zoey rolled her eyes but laughed. “We’ll pick something that suits you guys. And you, Danny, you’d probably look great in something with deep blues or silver embroidery.”

Danny blinked. “That’s… specific.”

Zoey shrugged, playing it cool. “I have good color sense.” In the back of her mind, though, she could not shake the image of Danny walking beside her in a midnight blue Hanbok.

Mira, on the other hand, envisioned Danny in a more… provocative pose.

"If you want, we can catch the changing of the guard?" she asked, checking her phone. "It starts in twenty minutes."

Danny shrugged. “I’m down.”

“Same," Jazz said. 

Zoey confirmed. "Very Instagram-worthy."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you care about Instagram?"

"Since our management company started tracking our social media engagement," Mira said dryly. "Welcome to the modern music industry."

They got their tickets and passed through the entrance, emerging into the vast main courtyard. Danny stopped again, this time to slowly turn in a complete circle, taking in the scope of the complex.

"It's like a whole city," he said.

"Basically was," Zoey replied. "The king and his entire court lived here. Thousands of people."

They found good spots near the front of the crowd gathering for the guard ceremony. Jazz immediately started taking photos of the crowd, the buildings, and the girls posing against various backdrops.

"Danny, get in there," she called, gesturing for him to join the group.

"I'm good," he said

But, Zoey was already grabbing his arm. "Come on." She pulled him between her and Mira. "This is your vacation too. We want you in them."

The ceremony began with the sound of traditional drums echoing across the courtyard. Performers in elaborate silk robes emerged from the palace buildings, their movements precise and ceremonial.

"The wardrobe are amazing," Jazz whispered, snapping photos continuously.

Danny watched the ceremony with interest, and Zoey found herself watching him more than the performance, enjoying his reactions.

When the ceremony ended, they joined the flow of tourists moving deeper into the palace complex. Rumi immediately started scouting photo opportunities. "Okay, first official group shot. Jazz, you're tall, so you go in back. Danny next to her. Mira, Zoey, and me in front."

Jazz set up her camera timer and hurried to join the group. The first few shots were standard tourist poses.

"Now silly ones," Rumi demanded after they'd gotten several serious versions.

The silly photos devolved quickly. Mira struck dramatic poses. Rumi made exaggerated cute faces. Near the end, Zoey found herself leaning against Danny’s shoulder or grabbing his arm.

"You two look comfortable," Jazz whispered to the girl with a knowing smile after reviewing the shots on her camera.

Zoey felt heat rise in her cheeks. "Yeah… Just like before”, she deflected.

They moved through the palace grounds slowly, stopping frequently for photos. 

"Stand by that pillar," Jazz directed Danny. "The red paint matches your jacket."

At Jazz’s suggestion, he'd changed into one of his new outfits, the charcoal blazer over dark jeans and a white t-shirt.

"Very model-like," Mira commented approvingly as Jazz clicked away. "You should consider a career change."

They found themselves in a quieter section of the palace grounds, away from the main tourist flow. Jazz had discovered a series of smaller buildings connected by covered walkways.

"Former living quarters," Mira explained. "For court ladies and officials."

Jazz positioned them for photos in the walkway, the traditional architecture framing the group. The lighting was softer here, filtered through the wooden lattice screens.

"These are going to be beautiful," she murmured, reviewing the shots. "The light is perfect."

Rumi had discovered a small garden area and immediately claimed it for a mini photo shoot. She convinced everyone to sit on the stone steps leading up to one of the buildings.

"Candid shots now," she announced. "Just talk normally and ignore the camera."

This proved harder than expected. Everyone kept glancing at Jazz and her camera, laughing when they caught themselves posing unconsciously.

"Tell us about college," Mira suggested to Danny, clearly trying to get him to focus on conversation instead of the photos.

Danny went on to tell them about going to his state university with Tucker and college shenanigans they had together. 

Jazz captured Danny's head thrown back with the others.

They climbed to the top of a small hill within the palace grounds, where a pavilion offered views over the entire complex and parts of the city beyond.

"Seoul shots," Mira declared, and they spent twenty minutes taking photos with the cityscape backdrop.

"I want one of just you and Danny," Jazz said suddenly, focusing on Zoey. "For old times' sake."

Zoey felt self-conscious as Jazz positioned them by the pavilion railing, the city spread out behind them.

"Closer," Jazz directed.

Zoey was well aware of what Jazz was up to.

Danny's arm went around Zoey's waist naturally, and she leaned into his side.

"Perfect," Jazz said softly.

When they rejoined Mira and Rumi, both girls were looking at them with expressions that seemed to mix amusement and something else Zoey couldn't quite identify.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Mira said innocently. "Just enjoying the show."

They spent another hour wandering the grounds, taking photos in every scenic spot they could find. Jazz's camera memory card was nearly full by the time they headed toward the exit.

"These are going to be amazing once I edit them," Jazz said, scrolling through the shots on her camera's small screen. "You guys are very photogenic."

"Professional training," Rumi said proudly.

As they walked back through the main courtyard toward the exit, Jazz fell into step beside Zoey.

"You know," she said quietly, "in all those photos, you two look really happy."

Zoey glanced ahead at Danny, who was listening to Rumi talk about Mudang performances. "It's nice having him here."

"I can tell," Jazz said. "I think today is the most relaxed I've seen him in a while." Things with Sam hadn’t worked out by the time college rolled around. For a while, Danny was devoting a lot of his free time to his work. 

Zoey felt something warm settle in her chest as they exited the palace gates. Maybe some things were worth waiting seven years for.